The Mayor of Évora, Carlos Zorrinho, received in the Noble Hall of the Town Hall a Japanese delegation composed of public servants from several municipalities of Ibaraki Prefecture, a region located northeast of Tokyo. The visit took place on Tuesday, September 1st.
The Japanese delegation's main objective was to learn about the agri-food systems of the Évora region, as well as municipal policies and strategies in the areas of ecology and sustainability. The program also included a stop at the University of Évora. The Japanese officials showed particular interest in the administrative plans and local solutions implemented to address sustainability and resource management challenges.
The delegation was represented by Mitsukoshi Kazuto, spokesperson and representative of the Office of the Mayor of Tsukuba-Mira. At the official reception, Carlos Zorrinho highlighted the long historical relationship between Évora and Japan, whose origins date back to 1582, when the Tensho mission, considered the first Japanese embassy sent to Europe, passed through the Alentejo city. Teresa Batista, chief of staff to the Mayor, also presented the municipality's history and some of the main development projects currently underway to the delegation.
The visit represents another moment of rapprochement between Évora and Japan, reinforcing a historical connection of more than four centuries and promoting the sharing of experiences in areas such as agriculture, sustainability, and territorial development.
